Do Women Need Bigger Parking Spaces? One Mother Says Yes

CBS Local — Are mothers really so distracted behind the wheel that they need their own row of super-sized parking spots? The stereotype is already a reality in one nation and now a mother in Great Britain wants her country to adopt the idea.

China’s women-only car parking spaces – branded with a high-heel show on a bright pink background – have drawn heavy criticism for being sexist and fueling the narrative that women are poor drivers.

“The women’s parking spaces are closer to the exits and monitoring systems, which is more convenient for female drivers to take a break or go shopping in the main building, and much safer, especially at night,” highway service area manager Fang Hongying argued, according to The Straits Times.

The controversial spaces have now sparked a debate in the U.K. after a mother of four appeared on the daytime talk show “This Morning” to support the wider spaces.

Rae Martin, a self-proclaimed “rubbish driver,” argued that female drivers were worse than male drivers because they are often distracted by their children in the car. “I cant park to save my life,” Martin said, via the Daily Mail.

Social media reaction has been generally against the wider spots and Mrs. Martin’s comments, calling the spaces a harmful stereotype rather than a thoughtful gesture. Chinese officials claim local provinces have spent nearly $11 million to create a safer and more convenient environment for women.